Apple TV is starting to make a habit out of stealing my favorite YouTube TV features.
Catch Up is a feature that some Apple TV users have been able to access via beta since late June. The feature is essentially identical to YouTube TV's catch up with key plays, which is my favorite feature for watching sports and a big reason I love YouTube TV. The app generates a playlist of key plays (highlights), which you can then watch to bring you up to speed in a live sporting event.
Now though, everyone will be able to test out the feature. When the feature leaves beta later this month with the release of iOS/iPad OS/tvOS 17.6, it will be available to everyone on all platforms, including third-party TVs, streaming devices and game consoles. (The Catch Up beta was limited to Apple devices.)
Now there's a minor caveat. First, you'll need to have MLS Season Pass to use the feature regularly, though non-subscribers will hve access to Catch Up during any free matches that become available. At this point, Catch Up is not yet expanding to other Apple TV sports offerings like MLB Friday Night Baseball.
As mentioned, this isn't the first time Apple has stolen one of my favorite YouTube TV features. In 2023, Apple added multiview, which lets you watch up to four games at once, and brought it to MLS Season Pass. Earlier this year, they expanded multiview access to the Apple TV iPad app.
Lucky for YouTube TV, they still offer significantly more sports than Apple TV, so they keep my heart — and my money — for now. But if Apple TV keeps this up, then it could make a serious case for being a must-have streaming service for sports fans.
Score MLS Season Pass for 50% off
If you're looking to check out Apple TV's sports features, or are a diehard soccer fan, you can get MLS Season Pass for 50% off. That gives you access to every MLS game for the rest of the season and the entire MLS Cup Playoffs. You also get access to every single Leagues Cup game, which starts July 26.
This discount means that if you already have Apple TV Plus, you can now get MLS Season Pass at a discounted rate of $12.99 per month or $39 for the rest of the season. If you don't have Apple TV Plus, you'll pay $14.99 per month or $49 for access till the season is over.
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